Kinetic Sculptures

For my art blog I wanted to discuss a contemporary work of art that I thought was particularly significant to our discussions in class. One of the major themes we have considered is what constitutes specifics forms/objects as art. Throughout our classes my the opinion was that everything contains characteristics that can be expressed through art. More specifically I believe that art comes in almost every form imaginable, even functional ones, and is not defined by an objects purpose but the aesthetic value expressed from it. One example I previously used was cars, they serve the purpose as a mode of transportation but are also built with artistic intentions to appeal to individuals. It is a functional object that contains unique artistic traits. Using a website called "Stumbleupon.com" I searched the internet for art that would best portray the relationship between functionality and artistic expression. What I I found was Theo Jansen and his kinetic sculptures.

"Stumble Upon" is a website that prompts a toolbar on your internet browser which redirects your webpage to other websites based on what you have selected as your points of interest. I chose art as my point of interest and began stumbling through websites eventually landing on a youtube video of a man in a BMW commercial. This mans name is Theo Jansen, an Artist and Kinetic Sculpture who builds functional forms of art. Theo Jansen was born on March 14th, 1948 in Hague, Netherlands and is a Dutch artist that uses engineering to create skeletons of animals which he lets loose on the beaches of the Netherlands. These sculptures are large spindly creatures that fuse art and science into inanimate forms of life. Theo's works are "wind-powered automatons that exhibit an incredibly lifelike dexterity" which use pipping, wood, and wing like sails to provide kinetic energy bringing his creatures to life (Inhabitat.com).

As Theo Jansen states "The walls between art and engineering exist only in our minds" (Wikipedia.com). Since 1990 Theo has reminded us of this time and time again creating ever inventive forms of artificial life that roam the beaches of the Netherlands. Following the same principals of evolution, each generation of Theo's creatures, called Strandbeests, is subject to the same forces of selection with successful forms moving forwards to create newer improved designs. Theo's menagerie of creatures walk without assistance on beaches, powered by the wind which is captured by gossamer wings that flap pumping air into bottles which create the kinetic energy used to bring the forms to life. Growing ever more creative Theo is developing new Strandbeests that use "primitive logic gates" to sense dangerous situations such as water or loose sand. Using feelers to change direction Theo's beasts are even learning to "hammer themselves into the sand on sensing approaching storms" (Wired, par. 1).

Originally a scientist Jansens roots lie in computer programming where he created a program 17 years ago. This program contains four-legged creatures that race against each other to identify survivors fit enough to reproduce. Wanting to express this idea in its physical form Theo found his own "alternative to the biological cell" in the form of plastic tubes (Wired, par. 2). Noting that animals contain the same mechanics as machines Jansen began to produce artificial life using plastics that he compares to proteins, a material that is flexible and multifunctional in the biological viewpoint of organisms. Despite starting from a computer program Jansen uses cable ties, nylon strings and adhesive tape to make functional free-forms of art that mainly follow evolution by progressing through trial and error. His creatures have even reached the point to where they can move in the absence of wind, storing compressed air in bottles using it later to keep moving. Theo's ultimate goal is to create a herd of these autonomist creatures mimicking life in its simplest form, the transfer of energy.

I chose this article because I thought that it best describe how science and art can be applied to something that is functional yet artistically appealing. I also thought that this article was interesting because of how Jansen imitates life and the basic laws of nature. I feel like it would be a very novel experience to watch one of these creatures walk by and essentially survive in it's environment. With adapted appendages this art speaks the same language that biological forms do yet the are completely inanimate. Sometimes it's important to view different topics from various perspective to fully realize what your focusing on.

Works Cited

Chino, Mike. "Strandbeest: Theo Jansen's Kinetic Sculptures." Inhabitat: Design Will Save The World. Inhabitat, 9 Aug. 2009. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. .

Jansen, Theo. "Strandbeest." Strandbeest. Theo Jansen. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. .

Sandhana, Lakshmi. "Wild Things Are On The Beach." Wired.com. Wired, 24 Jan. 2005. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. .

"Theo Jansen." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Ed. Public. Wikipedia. Web. 6 Dec. 2009. .